RASC News Agency: The Purple Saturdays Movement has issued a statement urging the United Nations to revise its approach to Afghanistan and calling for the dismissal of Roza Otunbayeva, the head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). The movement accuses UNAMA, under Otunbayeva’s leadership, of engaging in “whitewashing the Taliban,” asserting that this policy has not only “bolstered the Taliban’s standing” but has also directly intensified the “systematic oppression and suffering of women.” In its statement, the movement condemned Otunbayeva for advocating continued engagement with the Taliban during her recent briefing to the UN Security Council. It highlighted that, for over three years, rather than taking a “resolute stance” against the Taliban’s egregious human rights violations, Otunbayeva has pursued a “compromising and conciliatory approach” toward the regime.
During the Security Council session on Thursday, December 12, Otunbayeva presented a quarterly report on Afghanistan, in which she proposed continued dialogue with the Taliban. The Purple Saturdays Movement criticized this stance, stating, “Engaging with the Taliban has not led to any willingness on their part to address the demands of the Afghanistani people or the international community. On the contrary, it has emboldened the Taliban to escalate their blatant violations of human rights, particularly against women, without fear of accountability or genuine pressure.”
The movement denounced these calls for engagement, demanding a “comprehensive reassessment of UNAMA’s leadership, an end to appeasement policies with the Taliban, and decisive action from the United Nations to uphold human rights, particularly the rights of Afghanistani women.” The women activists warned that if the UN persists with its current strategy, they will formally petition the UN Secretary-General to terminate UNAMA’s mandate in Afghanistan and advocate for the closure of its offices in the country.
The statement also called on China and Russia not to jeopardize their “strategic interests and national security” for short-term geopolitical gains. It urged both nations to take seriously the threats posed by extremist groups emanating from Afghanistan and to refrain from placing trust in the Taliban. The Purple Saturdays Movement underscored that Afghanistan urgently requires transformative positive change. It described the Taliban as a “shared enemy of humanity” and cautioned that continued support for the group risks turning Afghanistan into an “even graver and more immediate threat” to the peace and stability of the region and the world.
